Clock ticking for Mayweather to pick next foe

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is at the point where he has to make a decision regarding his next fight.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations said Saturday that everything is expected to be finalized in the next week. In addition to determining Mayweather's opponent, the main portion of the undercard is being worked on with the intention of it being announced at the same time the Mayweather fight is made public.

But with the clock ticking down so he can fight on Sept. 12, there are major issues that still need to be decided.

First, Mayweather, 38, needs an opponent. Is he going to fight Andre Berto, as has been widely rumored? Or is someone else going to be selected to face boxing's pound-for-pound champion, who is 48-0 with 26 knockouts?

Second, is Mayweather going to fight on free TV on CBS? Or is he going to fight on Showtime Pay Per View?

Berto is the leading choice to be Mayweather's opponent after Amir Khan was no longer being considered by Mayweather and his team. But as of Saturday, no deal with Berto had been finalized. The fact there aren't many choices given the politics within the sport and the schedules of some potential opponents may leave Berto, though not necessarily the most attractive choice, as the one who faces Mayweather.

As for TV, it appears likely that Mayweather's fight will be on Showtime PPV instead of CBS because there's simply not enough time to sell advertising to cover the expenses. CBS, which owns Showtime, has a six-fight deal with Mayweather dating back to February 2013. This will be the final fight of that deal.

"Usually, that's a process that takes place six to eight months in advance, not six to eight weeks," the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity, of trying to sell advertising on CBS for a major sports event. "At this point, it appears more likely the fight will be on pay per view than free TV."

Multiple sources said the fight will still take place Sept. 12 at the MGM Grand Garden during Mexican Independence Weekend, normally a big weekend in Las Vegas and a time when Mayweather traditionally fights.

Mayweather and his camp have not commented on the situation. Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, has previously said everything is being worked on and when everything gets finalized, Mayweather will make the announcement. But with the date for the proposed fight just seven weeks away, time is running short to get cable and satellite operators on board, print and sell tickets and promote the event.

"We're getting real close to decision time for Floyd," the source said. "He knows that. He's just trying to put the finishing touches on things."

Manny Pacquiao Needs To Come Back, Says Floyd Mayweather Jr's Uncle And Trainer

Floyd Mayweather Jr's uncle and trainer says Manny Pacquiao needs to make come back(Photo : Al Bello | Getty Images Entertainment)

Manny Pacquiao's next fight is still in limbo as he is yet to undergo a formal rehabilitation.

This decision of the Filipino boxer has even irked his promoter and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. He thinks the eight-division champion is acting unprofessional.

For one person from Pacman's arch-rival Floyd Mayweather Jr, Manny Pacquiao's return should happen, there is no other choice.

Jeff Mayweather, uncle and trainer of the undefeated American fighter, said Manny Pacquiao's next fight should happen soon because he still has to prove something. Although Pacman's name is already cemented in the sport, the Filipino boxer must make sure he will return triumphantly, Jeff thinks.

"Pacquiao should be set forever. That kind of money over there (Philippines), it's not 160 million, it's probably like 80 billion. This dude should never have to fight ever again in his life if he doesn't want to," he told host Jenna J of On The Ropes Boxing Radio.

"But I'm sure he's going to fight basically because he feels he has something to prove to his fans," he added.

Manny Pacquiao's last fight was against Floyd Mayweather Jr in a match people deemed underwhelming.

Pacman lost in the battle and revealed afterward that he had a shoulder injury a night before the fight at the MGM Grand Arena.

Jeff Mayweather thinks Manny Pacquiao disappointed his fans and for that, a come back is a must.

"The one thing that he was supposed to prove to his fans, he disappointed them. He's gotta come back, even if it's just to leave the sport with dignity," he said.

Right now, Manny Pacqiao's next fight is put on hold as he is still busy with his political obligations and humanitarian works in his country.

His rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr, meanwhile, is already busy for his next fight schedule two months from now. His next opponent is former world welterweight champion Andre Berto, according to TMZ Sports.

Manny Pacquiao said his next fight is this 2016.

How should Christians respond to bashers? Manny Pacquiao's wife provides answer

Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, his wife Jinkee and their family have been under a lot of scrutiny since Pacquiao began his rise to fame. Sometimes the gossips and criticisms they receive from bashers appear to be testing their patience.

(Instagram/Manny Pacquiao)

Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee in a picture the Christian boxing champion shared on his Instagram account.

However, Jinkee believes that Christians should respond in kindness no matter what comes their way. On her Instagram account (@jinkeepacquiao), she wrote, "In life you can't avoid gossip & unkind words from others. Whatever you do, you will never please anyone. Remember, if you weren't worth anything, they wouldn't bother."

She then urged her followers: "Love one another as Christ loved us."

In fact, when her husband Manny was poked fun of by his latest boxing opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr. earlier this month, Manny simply responded by saying he understood his boxing rival and sought prayers for him.

Mayweather uploaded a video on his Instagram account wherein he was seen slapping a dummy he named "Manny." He recalled statements made by Pacquiao after their Fight of the Century where Manny said he thought he won the fight and blamed his broken shoulder for not performing as well as he had hoped.

"So Manny, you out here telling people that I didn't win fair and square, that this little arm is messed up? Is that right? Talk to me," he said in the video while slapping the dummy in the face. Mayweather then twice told the dummy to "stop lying."

The jab could've easily infuriated anyone it was directed at, but not Manny. "We should understand Floyd Mayweather because of his family background," Pacquiao said in a statement made through his Public Information Officer Aqui Zonio. He said the video reminded him of what Mayweather did to his former wife, and hoped that God will "touch his heart so he will discern the real meaning of love and life."

Floyd Mayweather Next Fight: After Manny Pacquiao Bout Has Floyd Finally Picked An Opponent?

Floyd Mayweather might fight on free TV in September. Getty

Floyd Mayweather has taken his time in choosing his next opponent, following his win over Manny Pacquiao on May 2. With the boxer set to defend his undefeated record in less than two months, it appears that the sport’s top performer is close to officially choosing who’ll stand opposite him in the ring for possibly the last bout of his career.

Andre Berto is looking more and more likely to face Mayweather on Sept. 12. Michael Woods of The Sweet Science reports that Mayweather has agreed to take on the 31-year-old, while two officials have told The Los Angeles Times that an agreement between the two boxers is “likely,” though nothing has been finalized.

It comes as little surprise that Mayweather is probably going to fight Berto in his 49th career fight. After much speculation that Amir Khan would be the favorite to get a shot at Mayweather, the champ dismissed that notion last month, suggesting Berto and Karim Mayfield as potential opponents.

Mayweather would reportedly earn a purse of a little more than $30 million for fighting Berto, a far cry from the at least $220 million he made for beating Pacquiao. The May 2 mega-fight generated an estimated 4.4 million buys, but a Sept. 12 bout between Mayweather and Berto might not even be broadcasted on PPV.

Mayweather has one fight left on his contract with Showtime, and the network is reportedly looking to air the fight on CBS, the parent company of the premium channel. Being able to watch the fight for free would be welcomed by fans, many of whom were disappointed after paying for $100 for a PPV event that had few exciting moments.

Even though Mayweather was favored against Pacquiao, a large contingent of fans believed the Filipino star had a chance to hand the undefeated boxer his first loss. Against Berto, Mayweather would be given incredibly high odds to remain unbeaten, and an upset would be one of the greatest in boxing history.

Berto has won his last two fights, most recently defeating Josesito Lopez in a sixth-round TKO in March. But he isn’t one of the best fighters in the welterweight division, and won’t be given much of a chance to seriously challenge Mayweather. Floyd Mayweather Sr. has even admitted that his son’s plan is to take“easy fights.”

With three losses in his last six fights, Berto has a career record of 30-3. He’s been defeated by both Victor Ortiz and Robert Guerrero, both of whom were beaten handily by Mayweather.

Until a deal is officially announced, a few other boxers remain as long-shot candidates to be Mayweather’s next opponent. Khan’s continuous pleas to fight Mayweather have been ignored, but he’s won five fights in a row and is one of the most viable challengers out there. The undefeated Keith Thurman has made it known that he wants to face Mayweather, most recently beating Luis Collazo on Saturday to retain his perfect record.

It shouldn’t be long before Mayweather officially announces his next opponent. After his first fight with Marcos Maidana in May of last year, the two sides agreed to a rematch on July 10.

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach mentors Scott Quigg for title defence

Briton makes regular trips to LA to seek the guidance of Freddie Roach as he builds up to world super bantamweight title bout against Kiko Martinez

Focused: Scott Quigg will take on Kiko Martinez as he looks to defend his world super bantamweight title Photo: REX

Scott Quigg leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of perfection as a technical prizefighter. He makes regular trips to Los Angeles to seek the guidance of Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao’s renowned trainer, and has added Ric Moylan, the strength and conditioning coach used by rising tennis star Liam Broady, to his team.

On Saturday night, Quigg will defend the World Boxing Association ‘regular’ world super bantamweight title against Kiko Martinez, the former world champion who admitted last week that the Mancunian’s technique might be “close to perfection” but that he intended to draw the 26-year-old into a war at the Manchester Arena.

Although trained by Joe Gallagher in his burgeoning Bolton set-up, Quigg revealed to The Sunday Telegraph that Roach had become a mentor, to whom he makes regular tutorial visits.

“He’s taken to me. When I was in New York to watch Miguel Cotto-Sergio Martinez, Freddie found out I’d gone over and his fighter Zou Shiming was there training for a fight,” Quigg said. “He got his assistant to message me and I went over to do some pads and sparring with Shiming.

“He insisted I come to a workout. I spent more time on the pads with him than some of his actual fighters. He said if I go to America and didn’t go with him, he wouldn’t be my mate.”

Quigg said that Roach had helped to finesse minute aspects of his technique. “There’s no nonsense,” he said. “He’s straight up. I like the way he teaches and the way he explains things. He was taught by Eddie Futch, one of the legendary trainers.

“I like those old school methods. You can’t beat that. That’s how you teach. As time’s moved on, he’s moved on, but he’s kept the foundations and the fundamentals from Futch.

“It’s helping me improve as a fighter. It’s going. If one of Freddie’s fighters came over and Joe Gallagher took him on the pads, it would be the same.

“It’s a different voice and it sticks with you. If you’re getting advice from someone who has won Trainer of the Year so many times, it enhances your game.”

However, Quigg is acutely aware that the trainer does not meet the opponent in the ring. “Don’t get me wrong, you have your team around you and Joe, my trainer, but it’s up to you in that ring,” he said.

“Sometimes you wake up in the morning feeling scared. Not scared of getting hurt or scared of an opponent, but scared of losing. That’s what drives me on every day to put maximum effort into everything I do.

“I’ve also learnt a lot through researching and from speaking to a guy called Gavin McMillan, who trains Freddie Roach’s fighters, and Ric Moylan, who is my performance coach who works with the young tennis player Liam Broady. It was great to see Liam doing well at Wimbledon this year. I see Ric three or four times a week. He’s so knowledgeable.”

The unbeaten Bury star – record 30 wins, two draws – will defend his belt for the fifth time against the aggressive Spaniard, who said that he would pull Quigg out of his game.

“Scott is a very good fighter, technically he is very close to perfection,” Martinez said. “But he’s not a great slugger.

“He will try to make this a boxing match, and not stand and exchange with me. But we have a plan to force him into a battle.”

When Saturday comes, it will be a fascinating test for Quigg.

Manny Pacquiao hounded over tax affairs ahead of clash with Floyd Mayweather

Mayweather v Pacquiao: Philippines government chase £33m of alleged unpaid taxes as fighter prepares for Las Vegas fight on May 2

Taxing: Manny Pacquiao's money affairs are casting a cloud over his preparations for bout with Floyd Mayweather Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Manny Pacquiao is being hounded by the Philippines tax department over payments stretching back seven years, in spite of being the highest tax payer in the Philippines Government.

According to Forbes, Pacquiao earned $41.8 million (£28 million) in 2014, which made him the number one taxpayer in the Philippines, government records showed today.

A list of top individual taxpayers for 2013, posted on the Bureau of Internal Revenue website, put the boxer-turned-congressman at number one with 163.84 million pesos (£2.5 million) in taxes paid.

It was about 64 per cent higher than the second-highest taxpayer.

Internal revenue chief Kim Henares confirmed that Pacquiao topped the list but stressed that he still had a case pending over alleged non-payment of taxes, the revenue bureau saying that Pacquiao owed up to 2.2 billion pesos (£33 million) in unpaid taxes for 2008 and 2009.

Pacquiao's lawyers dispute this. The boxer has previously insisted he paid the 2008 and 2009 taxes in the United States, so did not need to do so in the Philippines because the two countries have an agreement allowing their citizens to avoid double taxation.

The tax office alleges Pacquiao failed to provide documents proving his US payments and that he may still owe some money in the Philippines where there is a higher rate of taxation.

"The case is still ongoing. No, he has not settled. Being a top taxpayer ... does not mean he paid the correct taxes. The two [issues] are not synonymous," Henares said in a statement to AFP.

Pacquiao, 36, a champion in eight divisions, has generated a fortune in sport, commercial endorsements, and has even been elected to Congress for the province of Sarangani. He also remains a generous benefactor to schools, hospitals and personal causes, and has stated that he is driven by fighting poverty in his country.

His forthcoming match with Floyd Mayweather on May 2, for bragging rights to being crowned as the best boxer of their generation, is expected to shatter all box office records and will generate huge sums for both boxers.

Pacquiao will earn an estimated £54 million, with Mayweather due to pocket £80 million, with the pugilistic pair ranked high and highest with Forbes Magazine’s rich list of sportsmen in 2014. Mayweather was No 1, with Pacquiao at No 11.

^{Big-earners: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are pocketing around £130 million between them}

Elsewhere, Pacquiao's physical as well as fiscal issues are being questioned.

Michael Koncz, Manny Pacquiao’s chief aide, has played down reports that the boxer has suffered from leg cramps, notably in his huge calves, often cited as a source of his great movement and base for generating power.

Pacquiao admitted it had bothered him in previous fights before his KO loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, but said late last week that his legs would be in perfect condition come May 2 in Las Vegas.

The cramps have slowed Pacquiao in previous fights, and his coach, Freddie Roach has admitted they dealt with the issue.

An anti-swelling cream for the legs has been approved by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for Pacquiao’s calves. The creme costs $1800 a time.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Pacquiao told reporters from The Philippines on Friday.

^{Spar session: Manny Pacquiao in training}

Pacquiao also claimed this week that he and Roach have been working on a strategy to break down Mayweather’s renowned defence.

"If it’s defence he will be relying on, I can say this early that we are ready, by planning on how to break his defence. We at the same time know how to attack him and score,” explained pressure fighter Pacquiao.

Meanwhile, Mayweather’s camp have played down unconfirmed reports earlier last week that the unbeaten American’s chief sparring partner Zab Judah, a southpaw like Pacquiao, had knocked Mayweather down with a left hook to the body in training.

On Friday, Judah took to Twitter to deny the alleged incident had happened in Mayweather’s Las Vegas camp, and Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather's adviser, added: “They (the sparring partners) are really pushing Floyd, but nothing like that. It never happened.”

MANNY PACQUIAO BETTING ODDS HISTORY

Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao should probably consider himself very fortunate that he is still able to cash in the opportunity to face Floyd “Money” Mayweather in the “Fight of the Century” on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“Cash” is the key word with Pac-Man gobbling up at least $120 million for his 40 percent share of the welterweight championship bout that is expected to gross $300 million or more.

Pacquiao (57-5-2) will never know if he could have made even more money had he not lost consecutive fights against Timothy Bradley (a controversial split decision) and Juan Manuel Marquez (six-round knockout) in 2012 before reeling off his current three-bout winning streak.

The big question is, how motivated was Pacquiao in those two losses? He was able to avenge the setback to Bradley with a unanimous-decision victory last year to re-gain the WBO welterweight title and help set up this matchup with WBC champ Mayweather, who remains unbeaten in 47 professional fights.

The recent form of both boxers is somewhat irrelevant despite the fact that many consider the 38-year-old Mayweather to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Many bettors like the value on Pacquiao as an underdog in the biggest bout of his life, the first time he is on that side since upsetting Oscar De La Hoya in 2008 at +160.

But Pacquiao has more knockouts and a higher career percentage of scoring a KO or TKO than his opponent even though he is two years younger with 38 among his 57 wins (67 percent) compared to 26 of 47 (55 percent) for Mayweather.

Here's a look at Pacquiao's latest results on the boxing betting lines heading into his May bout against Mayweather in Las Vegas . .